Demonspawn Academy: Trial Two

by Annabel Chase

  Liesel’s jaw tensed. “That’s not fair, Rafe. You can’t expect a lifetime of conditioning to disappear overnight because you met one cambion you like.” She shot me a guilty glance. “I didn’t mean it the way it sounded, Cassia. You know how much I like you. All of you, actually, even your weird boss.”

  “If it weren’t for Cassia, we wouldn’t have gotten this far. I’m not willing to blow our only solid lead now by relying on Watchers like Jessup who’ve let me down. Who’ve let them down.” He angled his head toward me.

  Liesel heaved a sigh. “Fine, but we can’t just go in with the three of us. That’s a fool’s errand. We have no idea what to expect.”

  Rafe faced me. “Your team has more of a stake in this. Do you think they’re up for it?”

  I swallowed hard. As much as I agreed with him, it was still an intimidating prospect—to drag my kenzoku to a dangerous market.

  “I think they’ve had the best training there is,” I said.

  Liesel snorted. “I noticed the scars on your boss’s face. I hope you cambions aren’t responsible for that.”

  “Not directly,” I said.

  “How long would it take you to assemble a team?” Rafe asked. He rocked back onto the balls of his feet, impatient.

  It depended on whether the Elders put up a fight. “I can fly there now and find out.”

  “Then do it,” Rafe said. “We’ll go to the loft for more weapons and meet you back here.”

  I squinted at the bridge. “How will we activate the portal?”

  “This is a natural portal,” Liesel said. “They don’t have control over access.”

  “How can it be natural?” I asked. “We’re under a bridge that isn’t even that old.”

  “Which is why it’s such a good spot,” Rafe said. “The portal was here first and the bridge was unknowingly built around it. They probably had minions combing the city to find unknown natural portals they could use.”

  “No doubt there was a bounty involved,” Liesel added.

  “But how did they connect it to the market?” I asked.

  “Not all natural portals lead anywhere good,” Rafe explained. “That’s often why they’re unknown or abandoned. This was probably a perfect storm—a hidden portal that led to a pocket of the realm. An abyss that could be used to create the gray market.”

  An involuntary shiver escaped me. It was difficult not to think about that little girl, taken against her will to a dark place like the market. We had to help her.

  “Don’t go in without me, no matter what,” I said. “Promise me.”

  Rafe curled his fingers around mine. “I promise, Cassia.”

  Chapter Twelve

  The first thing that struck me about the gray market was the stench. Foul and rancid—it assaulted my senses before I even glimpsed the market itself.

  “I can see why this pocket of the realm was abandoned,” Rylan said. “Everyone was too nauseous to stay.”

  “This explains the anti-nausea potion,” I said. “The pey demon didn’t need it for the portal. He needed it for when he got here.”

  Sage wrinkled her nose. “This is worse than the tunnels.”

  Barris sniffed the air. “What stinks worse than excrement?”

  “Sounds like the beginning of a joke,” Zeph quipped.

  I cast a solemn glance over my shoulder. “Death,” I replied.

  Zeph paled. “Okay, not a funny joke.”

  “I hope it doesn’t smell like this the whole time,” Sage said. “I can’t focus.”

  “You’ll get used to it,” Rafe said.

  Sage pinched her nose. “It’s disgusting. I don’t want to get used to it.”

  Zeph playfully smacked her arm. “You got used to Barris, didn’t you?”

  “Hey!” Barris said. “Unfair comparison.”

  “Can we focus, please?” I asked. “We’re about to enter the belly of the beast. Eyes up.”

  Barris laughed. “And stay sharp? What, you’re Captain America now?”

  Zeph puffed out his chest. “I think you’ll find that I’m the heir apparent to Captain America.”

  “Goat Boy as Captain America?” Rylan said. “I don’t think the public is ready for that.”

  I gave Rafe a pensive look. “Maybe we should’ve left them behind.”

  He smiled encouragingly. “They’ll be fine. We need all hands on deck. This place could be hell on earth.”

  “Are you sure we all have weapons?” Rylan asked warily. “I can’t see them.”

  “Because they’re cloaked,” I said. “You can only see your own.”

  Rylan twisted to get a glimpse of the sword at her back. “Okay, I see the hilt.” She breathed a sigh of relief.

  The tunnel dumped us at the top-level entrance of a small arena with stadium-style seating. There was a short line ahead of us. Two horned demons flanked the entrance and were directing attendees to their seats.

  My jaw unhinged as I took in the scene. “Merciful gods, this is the market?”

  “It’s like a circus,” Liesel said.

  “That explains the smell,” Barris said. “I’ve read those circus tents stink.”

  Rafe kept his eyes on the arena. “Trust me, that smell has nothing to do with elephants.”

  “Do you think we need tickets?” Rylan whispered. “What if they turn us away?”

  “I doubt it works that way,” Liesel said. “It’s like a speakeasy during Prohibition. If you can find your way in, the assumption is that you belong.”

  When it was our turn to enter, I looked at the horned demon to my right. “Just out of curiosity, what’s the seating capacity?”

  “One thousand two hundred and fifty,” he replied. “But the host doesn’t like to fill it. He prefers the intimacy of a smaller crowd.”

  “Who’s the host?” Rafe asked.

  The horned demon’s lips parted, revealing a set of sharp teeth. “You’ll see.” He handed each of us a paddle with a different number. “Here are two seats together in row J. Ten and twelve.”

  We didn’t bother to correct him. Better to spread out.

  We took our colorful paddles and headed to our seats. I kept an eye on the others to see where they ended up. Sage waved from a row across the arena near the top.

  “I can’t believe how many prospective buyers there are,” I whispered. There were hundreds of attendees of all types, including bounders and fae.

  “How did they manage to find this place?” I asked. “You’ve been trying to get in here since it started.”

  Rafe followed my gaze. “I’m pretty sure this group isn’t interested in liberating anybody.”

  My insides churned. The attendees were every bit as dangerous as the host. If we picked a fight, I had no idea how we’d get out of here alive.

  The lights dimmed and an attractive man strode to the center of the arena, casually holding a cane over his shoulder. Although he wore a black cape and boots, he apparently drew the line at a top hat. Instead, his blond hair was slicked back in a small ponytail.

  I squinted at the lone figure. “What is he?”

  Rafe frowned. “I hate to say it, but I’m pretty sure he’s human.”

  How could a human rise to a position of power in this setting? The mere existence of the gray market relied on magic and supernatural powers. By the devil, he was selling cambions. He had to have non-mortal accomplices.

  “Maybe he’s not in charge,” I whispered. Maybe he was simply the host and nothing more.

  The man beside me leaned toward me. “Are you talking about the host? He’s not a bounder. He’s a vassago demon.”

  Of course. That made perfect sense. Vassago demons were greater demons with a knack for finding lost things—and cambions.

  “Welcome, honored guests,” his voice boomed. “I am your host, Luke Grant. If you’re a repeat visitor, welcome back. If this is your first time here, prepare to be astounded and amazed by what you see.”

  The man in front of me turned t
o the woman beside him. “Get your paddle ready, Pamela. We’re not losing out this time.”

  I tapped him on the shoulder. “Excuse me. I couldn’t help but overhear. Are you looking for something in particular?”

  The man craned his neck to see me. “Last time there was a boy who could slow time and I got outbid. That is not happening again.”

  “Is there a reason you need to slow time?” I asked.

  “I run a casino. I slow time, they spend more money,” he said without even a hint of shame. He returned his attention to the host.

  The woman, Pamela, eyed me curiously. “You look like you might have a few special abilities yourself, dear.”

  I forced a smile. “Sadly, I can’t slow time, so I’d be of no use to you.”

  “Our first item up for bid is a human-succubus hybrid.”

  Bile rose in my throat. I didn’t want to imagine the horrors this child would be subjected to. This is the fate I was spared thanks to Domus Academy. Elder Sam snatched me from the jaws of death in infancy and the Elders enabled me to live a real life afterward. They saved every cambion that ever entered an academy spire.

  A cage rolled out to the center of the arena by itself. Luke gestured to the door with a flourish and opened it. The little girl looked no older than six. She remained tucked into the corner of the cage with her head against her knees.

  “Come on out, demonspawn,” Luke said. “Show the audience how pretty you are.”

  She was nothing more than an object to everyone here. A thing to be bought and sold. This market made me sick.

  He banged his cane against the side of the cage. “Now, please. Our guests are waiting.”

  The little girl crawled to the open door of the cage and Luke yanked her out by the collar of her pink dress. He set her on the floor in front of him and placed a hand on her bony shoulder.

  “Normally, I prefer them to demonstrate their talents for you, but I think we can all use our imagination when it comes to the abilities of a succubus spawn.” He wagged a finger. “Just don’t get carried away.”

  My fingers tightened on my thigh. “She’s only a little girl.”

  Rafe’s expression hardened. “Liesel wasn’t far off. He’s running it like a cross between a circus and an auction.”

  “Let’s start the bidding at ten thousand, shall we?” Luke played with the cambion’s hair while he waited for the paddles to launch.

  I had to close my eyes when paddles began to shoot into the air. Dozens of attendees were actually bidding to own this child for their own nefarious purposes. What was wrong with the world?

  “Don’t worry, Cassia,” Rafe said in a low voice. “No one is taking this little girl home today. I promise.”

  “Last and final call,” Luke said. “Sold to paddle number forty-three. Well done, sir. I’ve seen you here before, haven’t I? I do love a repeat customer.”

  I opened my eyes to get a good look at the so-called winner. The spotlight shone on a bald, slender man with a medium build. Before this event was over, I vowed that he would regret his decision.

  Luke returned the girl to her cage and it rolled to the back of the arena but stayed within view. The girl cowered in the corner of the cage. She was old enough to understand what had just happened—what her bleak future held for her. I wanted nothing more than to crawl into that cage and comfort her.

  No, that wasn’t entirely true. I wanted nothing more than to slaughter every piece of filth in this market. My head began to throb, something that typically only happened during a fight. I pressed my fingertips to the spot between my eyebrows to ease the pain.

  “Are you okay?” Rafe whispered. He placed his hand over mine. “I’m sorry. I know how upsetting this must be for you.”

  Although I wasn’t sure that he truly understood, I appreciated his compassion. Seraphim and their offspring weren’t viewed in the same way as cambions. No nephilim child would ever show up for sale at auction.

  “The next item up for bid is a male demonspawn that will help you ice out your competition.” Luke had the game show host persona down pat. Another cage rolled out from behind the curtains at the performance entrance. “This one can’t turn water into wine, but it can turn water into ice cubes because this is an ice demon hybrid.”

  “They’re saving the best for last,” Pamela said to her companion. “Luke always does this. I can’t stand the anticipation.” Her voice was practically giddy.

  Luke opened the cage and a boy who looked about five years old climbed down to the floor. His white-blond hair was disheveled and his pants were torn at the knees. The moment his feet touched down, he sprinted for the nearest exit. Unfortunately, Luke’s handlers were ready. Two demons blocked the way and the boy threw out his hands. Ice streaked from his fingertips and the demons froze in place. As the boy attempted to run between them, an invisible force pushed him backward, causing the boy to fall on his bottom.

  Luke clapped slowly. “Thank you for that thoughtful demonstration,” the host said. “Now, be a good demonspawn and come stand beside me quietly while we find your new owner.”

  The boy climbed to his feet and ran back to kick Luke in the shins. At first the host didn’t seem inclined to react. Then, without warning, his cane struck the boy on the side of the head. The small body crumpled to the floor.

  “I promise it won’t be damaged goods,” Luke said to the crowd with a pleasant smile. “They’re very resilient. Trust me. I have experience in such matters.”

  “He’s a monster,” I whispered.

  “There’s no other word for him,” Rafe said. He seemed equally thunderstruck by what was happening. In a way I was glad. If an event like this didn’t faze him, I would’ve been worried that the world was too far gone for me to want to live in it.

  The bidding began again. The boy was sold to a man in a three-piece suit who sat ringside.

  “We have to do something,” I said quietly.

  Rafe faced me. “Listen to me. Those cambions won’t leave here today with anyone except us.”

  I nodded. I believed him. Across the arena, I caught Sage’s eye. She looked ready to kill every attendee here and build a fortress with their bones.

  “For our final item today, we have this fine specimen of a fire demon hybrid,” Luke said.

  Murmurs of approval rippled through the crowd as the cage rolled to the center under the spotlight. Luke unlocked the door and a girl climbed out without prompting. She was far too tall to be stuffed into a cage of that size.

  “How could someone her age have ended up here?” I asked. Based on her appearance, she had to be at least twelve.

  “Who knows?” Rafe said. “She might have run away and then been abducted.”

  I shivered at the thought of children being kidnapped for the purpose of selling them into supernatural slavery.

  “To demonstrate her prowess, I’ve asked for a volunteer,” Luke continued.

  A man vacated his ringside seat and came to stand at the edge of the circle.

  “Go on then, demonspawn. Show us what you’re capable of.”

  The girl fixed the volunteer with a hard stare. Her hands sparked with light and she held out her palms. Two fireballs appeared in each hand. She launched them at the man without hesitation. Flames engulfed him and the audience gasped. Then she immediately turned to Luke and slapped a hot hand against his cheek. He grabbed her wrist and tossed her aside like she weighed nothing. She landed on her back and yelped in pain.

  “Let the bidding begin on this feisty one,” Luke said.

  Enough was enough.

  “Now,” Rafe said gruffly.

  We shot to our feet and took to the air, uncloaking our weapons as we flew. The others moved in from their side of the arena. Rylan and Zeph's job was to secure the children and get them to safety. Barris and Sage were tasked with blocking the portal so that no one could exit until we allowed it. We wanted everyone involved to be held accountable for their roles, no matter how small. Our job was to ta
ke down anyone who got in the way. I was more than happy to start with Luke.

  “Security!” Luke yelled, when he spotted us coming. Attendees screamed as chaos erupted.

  Luke’s cronies seemed to magically appear between us. I watched in frustration as Luke dragged the fire demon by her hair back to the cage.

  “No!” I said. My hands itched and I unleashed a blast that shot straight through the torsos of the two horned demons and hit the cage. Pieces of metal blew skyward.

  Luke gaped at me. “What are you?” He released his hold on the girl and plucked his cane from the ground. I got the distinct impression that this was no ordinary accessory.

  He pointed the cane at me as I hovered in the air.

  “Cassia, move!” Rafe pushed me aside as a pulse of energy burst from the end of the cane. He jerked as his arm took the brunt of the blow.

  I flew straight at Luke with my sword at the ready. I slashed at his midsection as I passed by. I wanted to keep my advantage by staying airborne. Luke swung at me with his cane, but I was too fast. I whirled around behind him and struck again.

  The young fire demon joined the fight. She chucked a fireball at Luke that singed his sleeve, but he was too focused on dodging my blade to notice.

  He wielded his cane in both hands. I was pretty confident it could do more than energy pulses. Nobody commanded a market like this without more power at his disposal.

  The cane began to glow with a red light and Luke’s lip curled into a knowing snarl.

  “Cassia, look out!”

  A creature swooped past me, its wings brushing mine. Great Goddess! A gryphon. I snatched my dagger from its hiding place so that I had a weapon in each hand.

  “They should keep you busy, demonspawn,” Luke said. He raised his cane and whacked the fire demon hard across the temple. She staggered backward and fell.

  The gryphon bolted toward me and slashed with its talon. I hurled the dagger at its head and missed. That was the moment I noticed the second gryphon. It was tailing Rafe while the nephilim was fighting with one of the horned demons. We were outnumbered. I had to cut down Luke. That was the only way to stop the minions.